What To Do When Your Horse Runs Away 

I watched several other less helpful videos before I found this one. I have lots of experience with dog behavior but horses are so different. Thank you for putting this into terms that apply to all animals!

man ... these are relaxing lol I should watch videos before bed and I would learn a lot

Totally agree with NOT hiding the halter/lead rope. I cringe every time I see someone do it. Horses aren't dumb, and it doesn't take long for them to feel tricked, and react accordingly.

You’ve got a very nice voice to listen to. Not too soft, not annoying. Just a nice volume and voice type. I learnt alot from your video, thanks.

I played the catching game with some horses that don't enjoy getting caught and afterwards they'd walk up to me in the field waiting for me to get them

Very nice comprehensive data compiled for the sake of the horse! Intro to basic horsemanship and behavioral consideration!

I love this video. I really like how you make something that can be not so nice into a game. I also love that you bring up different reasons to why the horse might not want to get caught. I've done something similar with my horse and she is such a darling to fetch nowadays. I wish I had understood these things years ago, but I guess we all mature in different pace. :-)

My horse used to come up to me and stick his face in the halter. Now he runs away from me… I’m not really sure what happened. I didn’t do anything wrong to him, and I give him lots of love. But I’ll definitely try the advice from this video!

I know this is an older video, but I still found this really informative, very well articulated, and just downright adorable! I'm a new follower, and I'm enjoying your videos very much! You break down the stages for us and the horses, and you make them so easy to understand what's going on, and what your goals are for that particular stage. To both our distastes I'm sure, I'm also seeing that you have to deal with a lot of ignorance from internet horse trainers, who not only don't know what they're talking about, but also have no evidence to back up their claims. A lot of people giving "advice" don't even have a single video of their own demonstrating what they're giving advice on. Also, I think there is a huge thing in the horse world about doing things the "right" way, which is often someone's personal way of training, and those who don't subscribe to it are wrong. I really don't think there is a "right" way to do things with horses, I think it should be about what works best for you and your horse. As long as you're both communicating in a respectful, kind, and productive way by using language that both parties understand (in your case, positive and negative reinforcement), that's what matters. For yourself, this is clicker training and a mix of both positive and negative reinforcement. For others, it might be only negative reinforcement, etc. It's okay to respectfully disagree, but guys respect other people's training methods and what works for them and their horses. In any case, I can see you have a deep knowledge of these concepts, you can apply them consistently with productive and consistent results, and your horses love being around you! I'm looking forward to learning more :)

You are amazing, how do you not have a bigger subscriber / following? Thank you for the work you do xx

Though I would love to have a few horses, I currently spend a lot of my time with my miniature zebu cattle. I've got a few who are already lead trained but don't like to be caught, and two calves that I am currently working with on basic training. I think this strategy will really move our training forward in the right direction! Thank you for sharing!

No idea how this got in my feed other than Yellowstone or something. That horse is beautiful. I use the same techniques on dogs.

This video was so helpful! Even though my 4 year old horse follows me everywhere I go, it’s more of a “chasing game” for him: he wants to almost cut me off as I’m walking in order to get the treats as he experiences a lot of anxiety when trying to get the treat. This gave him much more of a clear understanding about what he has to do in order to get the treat; it’s not about him cutting me off or chasing me, it’s about us walking together and him getting the treat from walking with me. So I just wanted to say thanks and keep doing what you’re doing!

Yes, this is great. Patience and variability are key!

Thanks for sharing! Saving this as a reference for my students :)

This 🙌 what a great idea. Gratefully mine comes willingly when called, though I'm still going to practice this with him to even increase his desire to be with me. 😁 love instilling training that helps if horses ever get loose

Learned ALOT!

Another reason why they might run away is because you only come out to catch it. Spending more time out with your horse in pasture will create a big bound with your horse making them feel like you're a herd mate.

Excited. Thank you

Dang horse don't even take a carrot from me.

I like, trust and experienced this smart and sweet method, thx 😊

great video!❤

Thank you so much!!! I tried this and it worked so well. :)

Always enjoy your post on here and ig

I stood for 3 hours today trying to catch my yearling he doesn’t like being caught due to my aunt ( previous owner ) didn’t do any work with him and he drunk out of a river that flowed through his Field.

My dog follows me around naturally kinda like what you were doing but he does it when he wants to follow me anyway my dog is also like a guard dog to tho he is a small dog so yeah he is like a guard dog because when my sister comes near me or my grandma or my mom he starts barking and he normally comes when I call him so I feel like he either somehow learned to do it or he naturally wanted to I think we really have a bond or he probably wouldn't do all this stuff

I know a lot of riders who have the mentality that "once I've caught my horse it is time to work" and don't allow for any kind of head down or grazing during their "working" time.. what is your opinion on allowing horses to graze during grooming/saddling/ and trail riding. I feel that a lot of riders have been taught that grazing while riding is bad trail manners, would like to know your view!

My pony was abused and neglected by his previous owner, he had a very long history and up until recently was on a farm where the owner went into a coma while he lived alone, he had pigs, poultry, horses and cattle eventually with out food they starved some ate each other and out of 68 animals only 13 were rescued, he’s scared of children, quick movements, brooms and rakes, handling and larger horses, even if you raise your hand quickly he gets terrified I want him to be calm do you have any tips, we take him on walks to the park every Saturday he enjoys it and we feed him treats and water when he gets tired but he is so scared of being caught

Great video

I really love your videos! Since we’ve started training my horse can get a little pushy looking for treats. What do you recommend for that?

What treats do you use to reward the behavior? Any tips for a horse who is pushy around treats?

Hi Thank you for putting out this video. I have newly started riding a beautiful but stubborn horse who hates being caught. I am told that she is difficult even for grown ups. Watching your video make me feel less frustrated about what I experience and gives me more perspective on what I should be doing . What are your reward choices? Thank you so much

Hello Adele. I was wondering, any tips on, how to calm one's nerves? (Showing a horse for the first time)

I don't have a catching problem as my young mare gets rather excited to see me and is always very keen to come and interact, BUT when i go to get her from the paddock to take her back to her pasture she sometimes likes to avoid being caught and im unsure as to why she is like that i can only guess she doesn't want to go back to her pasture/paddock buddies, but do you have any suggestions that may help?

Was wondering about your horses, are they a PINTO mix? I have never seen a horse with a two tone main and tail. Or have i missed see this in 60 years of watching horses. Nice work

For those horses who refuse to come even close enough to use a target or hand target, you still want to reward any movement in the direction towards the handler correct? So if my horse is too far to hand feed a treat, should you mark any movement towards you and then toss a treat to the horse?

My yearling pony will start rearing, bucking and galloping away if he even sees a leadrope. We adopted them and they had little handling when we got them. We are really struggling a little and need some tips. Could you give me any tips for when there’s a danger of being kicked or bitten etc.?

What do you do when a horse comes into you when they spook or start to get nervous?

Do you have anything on teaching horses to stand still at the Mounting Block?

1:16 What kind of hackamore do you have here? I've really been needing one like this

I've been trying to halter break my 6 month old foal and MAN she does NOT want to be caught. I can get close and pet her and all that but as soon as I try to put the halter on she gets upset and throws her head. All I want to do is give her like 15 minute lessons a day but she has had a halter on before so she is halter broke or at least I thought she was but right now I'm not sure what to do.

i guess thats why my horse hates being caught cuz i leave him in a stall but i mean i tried leaving him out and he ran away

What do you use as treats?

*My horse don't give a deam, he's just eating grass*

my horse has gotten better with this, he likes to play games, as soon as you touch him he stops but he always look so happy with his ears pricked and hopping. he's like haha loser. He was herd bound but have gotten better now thast hes settled in more, he used to cry and dance in the cross ties. now we just give him time, reward him, make him correlate getting caught with food and cuddles. he still cry in the trailer by himself, but doesnt freak out.

My horse would be easy to catch, but, his buddy always runs away from me when I'm walking in the pasture to catch Cowboy(my horse). Then, Cowboy walks away. What can I do? Only way I can solve this is with a bucket of food. But rewarding bad behavior is bad, what can I do..?

How about a horse that is impossible to catch? I've tried this game before, never came to me even after about an hour. Horse has just begun training also, never been easy to catch before training either

What are you rewarding her with

I used to take riding lessons as a teenager and my horse (a thoroughbred/quarter horse mix) LOVED to run from me when he saw me coming with his halter. The owner said halters on horses in a pasture were potentially dangerous (I completely agree) I just started bringing a carrot to my lessons, telling him what a good boy he was for coming to me instead of running away and that stopped him from running. I think he might have been afraid of the owner, she could have a temper.

I have a small pony that refuses to be caught. Have tried all different ways at my wits end

the main reason ur horse doesnt wanna be caught is normally bc they are gonna be worked/road. And they dont wanna be worked they wanna be lazy and eat grass all day so most of ur reasons are probably not the reason Its normally that they just dont wanna be worked at all

I dislike any halter being on a horse, however the breakaways on lactating mares in a necessary evil for humans to be able to be catching a life saving reason for sake of a foal with domestic horses, like if they get an issue medically.

What about when the horse is in a pen with 8 or so other horses? And some of those other horses are all over you for treats? :) And yet the horse you want is way off in the distance avoiding you?

what if u one day wont give them a cookie? they ll bite u! i know this story

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I'll tell you another reason why a horse doesn't want to be caught. Having to treat him for one thing or another which is uncomfortable. One of my horses had "scratches" quite badly. I had the vet out - vaccines from Germany & told to use ointment & pick the scratches off. Painful for my boy. The poor horse $4,000 later & picked & scrubbed - no wonder he doesn't want me to catch him. He's much better now as his scratches are gone. But it has taken me 2 years to be able to catch him in a field.& still hit or miss. Once I get him he just loves me. He's a Mummy's boy. But no video I've found here addresses this. You have to go out in the field - good grief it's frustrating to have your horse run away & no matter what you do you can't catch them. So start going out with some treats, take a brush & work up to it. I will be truthful & say I finally put him in his own pen. Then he was just I love you Mummy. He is so kind under saddle. But I cried & regretted all that I'd done to treat his scratches that vets had told me. Now I'd never pick at them! These videos make it look so easy. It's not at all.

My lame horse literally runs, and he hurts himself even more. It’s so dumb. We spent an hour in the paddock while the farrier was there waiting for us to catch the stupid thing.

I still didn’t see, “what do you do when your horse runs away”.

if a horse runs away its a people problem right?

I hate to be a horse trainer cuz some people tried to force me to work with horses I don't like it

Just shut the water off after a few days he will be easy to catch.

What to do when your horse runs away from you then shoot it.

Quads don’t run away

Your girls are beautiful paints (pintos?)

Don't catch the horse. Let the horse catch you. Cut off his drive line. Move his feet. Change his direction. And soon he will face you and ask to come in. Whenever you walk into the pasture the horses need to know that you are the trusted, confident, fair herd leader.

Im want out of horses thry forced me to ride them im done with people who like horses

This horses are too trained... what of the horse never approaches you? What of they don't even let you approach them more than 15 feet? I recently acquired a couple of horses and they're not trained like yours this video doesn't really show me anything...

Yeaah. Well maybe the horse hates the owner.

this isn't help :(

Why 'catch' the horse? Why not let the horse 'catch' you.

OK.............At 3:43 getting the desired response from the horse through food rewards...................not good. You need to learn how to effectively communicate with your horse. When you train with treats you are clearly telling your horse that you are lower in status.

"For ask" a quick favor? WTF?

No idea how this got in my feed other than Yellowstone or something. That horse is beautiful. I use the same techniques on dogs.